# US 12,113,766 B2 · Address resolution protocol request resolution

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- Number: US 12,113,766 B2
- Document ID: US12113766B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/065,575
- Filed: 2022-12-13
- Published: 2024-06-13
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2022-12-13
- Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
- Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
- Inventors: Kenyon James Hensler
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113766B2

## CPC

- H04L 61/103: across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP]
- H04L 61/2596: Translation of addresses of the same type other than IP, e.g. translation from MAC to MAC addresses
- H04L 61/58: Caching of addresses or names
- H04L 61/59: using proxies for addressing
- H04L 2101/622: Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A method for resolving address resolution protocol (ARP) requests includes, at an ARP listening entity of a computer network, receiving an ARP request for a MAC (media access control) address of a destination entity having a specified IP (internet protocol) address, the ARP request received from a requesting entity, wherein a design of the computer network prevents broadcast of the ARP request to the destination entity. An ARP response is transmitted to the requesting entity, the ARP response specifying a response MAC address to facilitate transmission, by the requesting entity, of a data packet targeting the response MAC address, and wherein prior to receipt of the data packet at the destination entity, the specified IP address is associated with an actual MAC address of the destination entity according to an IP-to-MAC mapping.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for resolving ARP (address resolution protocol) requests, the method comprising:
at an ARP listening entity of a computer network, receiving an ARP request for a MAC (media access control) address of a destination entity having a specified IP (internet protocol) address, the ARP request received from a requesting entity, wherein a design of the computer network prevents broadcast of the ARP request to the destination entity;
transmitting an ARP response to the requesting entity, the ARP response specifying a response MAC address to facilitate transmission, by the requesting entity, of a data packet targeting the response MAC address,
wherein the response MAC address is a predefined placeholder MAC address, and wherein prior to receipt of the data packet at the destination entity, the specified IP address is associated with an actual MAC address of the destination entity according to an IP-to-MAC mapping; and
causing the data packet to be delivered to the destination entity with the actual MAC address of the destination entity in lieu of the predefined placeholder MAC address.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the actual MAC address of the destination entity is retrieved from an SDN (software-defined networking) controller of the computer network.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a security configuration of the computer network prevents broadcast of the ARP request to the destination entity.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting entity and the ARP listening entity are each VMs (virtual machines) hosted by a same hypervisor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the ARP request is broadcast by the requesting entity over a virtual switch implemented by the hypervisor.

### Claim 6

A computer network
including an ARP (address resolution policy) listening entity a logic subsystem comprising one or more physical devices configured to:
receive an ARP request for a MAC (media access control) address of a destination entity of the computer network having a specified IP (internet protocol) address, the ARP request received from a requesting entity, wherein a design of the computer network prevents broadcast of the ARP request to the destination entity;
transmit an ARP response to the requesting entity, the ARP response specifying a response MAC address to facilitate transmission, by the requesting entity, of a data packet targeting the response MAC address,
wherein the response MAC address is a predefined placeholder MAC address, and wherein prior to receipt of the data packet at the destination entity, the specified IP address is associated with an actual MAC address of the destination entity according to an IP-to-MAC mapping; and
cause the data packet to be delivered to the destination entity with the actual MAC address of the destination entity in lieu of the predefined placeholder MAC address.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The computer network of claim 6, wherein the actual MAC address of the destination entity is retrieved from an SDN (software-defined networking) controller.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The computer network of claim 6, wherein a security configuration of the computer network prevents broadcast of the ARP request to the destination entity.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The computer network of claim 6, wherein the requesting entity is a virtual machine (VM) hosted by a hypervisor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The computer network of claim 9, wherein the ARP request is broadcast by the requesting entity over a virtual switch implemented by the hypervisor.